Speeches by Waugh.

“Can I ask you the same question, Joshua?”

“Andrew, what are the biggest challenges of operating in a so-called heritage site? Some people think it might be a bit of an albatross around their neck and they would rather have a brand-new build. Others think it is an opportunity. What is your take on that?”

“Michael, is there a way in which sometimes being a historic building can inspire contemporary art and contemporary creativity?”

“Can I ask you the same question, Joshua?”

“We are trying to look a bit more at the relationship between the listed building system and the wider sense of culture in Britain. Michael, do you think the listing system takes into account enough counterculture and the sort of contemporary culture that you want to promote?”

“Is it the case for you all that a sense of local pride and a sense of place is crucial to attracting local audiences—that, no matter what show you are putting on, that building is part of their community?”

“Does Historic England just not get it at the moment? It seems to have a perception that a famous band having performed somewhere when they were up and coming is not good enough for recognising a building, even though it might attract people from across the world to look at the first place someone gigged, for example.”

“Andrew, to follow up on that, can you think of examples where listed building status restricts access and/or other contemporary elements of what you do?”

“The shadow Minister makes a point about the state funding children. Does he accept that a million families that have three or more children receive child benefit presently? If he accepts that point, does he, as a father of three—as am I—not accept the principle that those children come first under the child benefit? Wh…”

“The Minister is making an important speech with which many Labour Members will agree. She will be aware that 59% of families with more than two children and which are on universal credit are in work. That is far from the feckless parent caricature that we have heard from the Conservatives. More importantly, does she ag…”

“On Friday, the BBC interviewed an Egyptian economic migrant named Obaida in Calais who said that he had tried and failed four times to cross the channel but, since the Prime Minister’s agreement with President Macron, he was giving up: “I don’t want to go to Britain any more, because they are making it much harder for …”

“Minister, I understand completely why you will not want to publicly suggest which tax credits you prefer to recommend to the Treasury and which you would not. Would you at least tell us whether or not you think there is real merit in the suggestion of the Film Distributors’ Association about helping independent and loc…”

“As we heard earlier from Sir Peter, skills are crucial. What has been slightly disappointing is that the only new specific investment in skills in this document is an extra investment for the NFTS, which is in the south, as you are aware. What are you going to do for investing in skills in the other regions?”

“Can I ask a broader question? One thing that many people have been frustrated by, while welcoming the broad thrust of this plan, is the lack of deadlines. Was that for the particular reason that you wanted flexibility? If you are working on the deadlines, when can we see them?”

“Maybe Alastair might answer this, given that you are not the Minister directly responsible, Sir Chris. Intangible cultural heritage is a clunky phrase for British cultural traditions and customs, but obviously it is important to you; it is important to a lot of us around this table. Alastair, in April the Government sa…”

“As the Smiths would say, how soon is now?”

“Baroness Vadera, you mentioned in passing the Arts Council England review by Margaret Hodge, which the Government commissioned last December. As a former chair of Arts Council England, what view do you have on the way that review should go? In particular, its remit is to make sure that there are high-quality arts acros…”

“I would like you to second-guess it.”

“Could you find out for us? The vague phrase “this summer” was used about the next step on intangible cultural heritage and what would be done to promote and protect it. Can we get an answer from the Department as to what the phrase “this summer” means?”

“Will we get an update on the metrics and the timetable?”